Vacuum cleaner with motor and handle mounted on trunnions



E. P. TURNER 2,633,597

VACUUM CLEANER WITH MOTOR AND HANDLE MOUNTED 0N TRUNNIONS April 7, 19532 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Nov. 5, 1947 agar Z7? Uwznez BY ATTOPJVZY E. P.TURNER VACUUM CLEANER WITH MOTOR AND HANDLE MOUNTED ON TRUNNIONS 2.SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Nov. 5, 1947 INVENTOR. 5 19a??? Ju'z'nez BY WITNESSATTUBNEY Patented Apr. 7, 1953 VACUUM CLEANER WITH MOTOR AND HANDLEMOUNTED ON TRUNNIONS Edgar P. Turner, Fanwood, N. J assignor to TheSinger Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N. J a corporation of NewJersey Application November 5, 1947, Serial No. 784,167

8 Claims. (01. 15-383) This invention relates to vacuum cleaners and hasfor one of its primary objects to provide an improved mountingarrangement for various parts of a vacuum cleaner.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved mountingarrangement for a motorfan unit of a vacuum cleaner.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved pivotalmounting for the handle of a vacuum cleaner.

The invention consists in the devices, combinations and arrangements ofparts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawingsof a preferred embodiment of the invention, from which the severalfeatures of the invention and the advantages attained thereby will bereadily understood by those skilled in the art.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a vacuum cleaner embodying this invention,parts being broken away to show internal construction;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the vacuum cleaner shown in Fig. 1,parts also being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a partly exploded view of a portion of the mechanism shown inFig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. l and shows means forsecuring the handle to the trunnion arms.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in thedrawings, the vacuum cleaner is shown as having an ambulatory casing orchassis I0 formed from a lower chassis shell H and an upper chassisshell I2; the two shells being joined on a line inclined slightly to thehorizontal and indicated by the numeral I3. The lower shell I I is heldto the upper shell I2 by a screw it that is rotatably supported in apair of bosses I6 formed integral with the lower shell I I. The threadedend of the screw I4 enters a threaded hole in a boss I I integral withthe upper shell I2. The lower end of the screw I4 is provided with aknurled head I8.

A combination electric motor and fan unit I9 is supported in the chassisI0 and the vacuum cleaner as a whole is supported on front and rearwheels 2I and 22. The front wheels are rotatably supported on axlescarried by the lower chassis shell II, whereas the rear wheels 22 arejournaled on axles secured to rearwardly extending exhaust ports 23,that are formed as part of the motor driven fan unit l9.

The upper chassis shell I2 has a front wall 26, side walls 21, a topwall 28, and rear wall portions 29. Integral with the top wall 28 is acentrally located cupola 3I which extends above the wall 28 and, whenthe vacuum cleaner is fully assembled, overlies the motor-fan unit I9.The cupola 3i has a back wall portion 32 which extends a short distanceto the rear of the back wall portions 29. The cupola 3| also has a frontwall 33 and a pair of side walls 34. Adjacent opposite sides of the sidewalls 34, the top wall 28 of the upper shell I2 is provided with a pairof long narrow parallel slots 35, the purpose of which will appearpresently. The lower chassis shell II is substantially U-shaped in planview and has a front wall 36, side walls 31, a bottom wall 38 and backwall portions 39. A forward portion of the bottom wall 38 is aperturedto provide a suction mouth 4|. The front wall 36, the side walls 31, andthe back walls 39 of the lower chassis shell II as well as the frontwall 26 of the upper chassis shell l2 are preferably covered with asheel of resilient material 42 which acts as a bumper.

The electrical components (not shown) of the motor are housed within twocup-like frame,

members 43 and 44, the lip-rim portions of which abut on a plane 46,which plane is perpendicular to the central axis of the motor-fan unitI9. This plane 46, as best seen in Fig. 1, also coincides with thelongitudinal center line of the vacuum cleaner. Each of the motor-framemembers 43, 44 is concentrically apertured, as at 41, for journaling themotor shaft 48. This arrangement of parts places the motor shaft 48parallel to the floor on which the wheels operate and also perpendicularto the longitudinal center line of the vacuum cleaner. Impeller fans 5|and 52 are carried by opposite ends of the motor shaft 48. The fans 5Iand 52 are respectively housed in fan casings 53 and 54 held to therespective motor frame members 43 and 44 by screws 56. For a morecomplete showing of the motor-fan unit, reference may be had to anapplication, Serial No. 784,165, filed November 5, 1947, by Floyd T.

Smith, now Patent No. 2,540,178. Each of the;

fan casings is apertured by an intake eye 51 and each eye is surroundedby a cylindrical trunnion 58 that is formed integral with its fan casingand extends outwardly therefrom. The trunnions 58, which are formed onopposite ends of the motor-fan unit I9, each have an outer cylindricalsurface 58 and an end abutting surface form. Each; of I the trunnions58, which areformed integral with the fan casings 53 and 54,-

respectively, are concentric with the fans 5| and 52, as well as beingconcentric with the motor frame members 43 and 44 and the motor shaft48.

The combination motor-fan unit I9 is pri-- marily supported in thevacuum cleaner chassis by having the two opposite trunnions 58:

clamped (Figs. 3, 4. and between the upper-and lower chassis shells l2and i I which for this purpose are each formed with a pair ofsemi-cylin:

drical trunnion engaging surfaces 63 and 64, respectively. Each of thesurfaces 64 on the lower shell H is so formed that when the two chassisshells are clamped together each of the surfaces 64 will becomplementary to'one of the surfaces 63 on the upper shell? 12, therebyforming two cylindrical trunnionengaging surfaces. Each of the surfaces63'and B4 terminates in a semi-circular axial abutting surface 65. Thesesurfaces are spaced apart transversely of the chassis shells H and I2 adistance that is substantially equal to the distance between outsideends 58 of the two trunnions 58 formed on opposite ends of the motor-fanunit- [9. This assures that the unit l9 will be positioned properly withrespect to the chassis shells.- The motor unit i9 is additionallysecured to the upper chassis shell 12 by a pair of screws 66 which passthrough bosses 6! formed as part of the exhaust ports 23. These screwsenter threaded holes in the upper chassis shell 52.

Inaddition to acting as a means for positioning and supporting thecombination motor and fan unit IS in the chassis 10, the two trunnions58 provide a means for pivotally mounting a vacuum cleaner handle ill,-only a lower portion of the handle being herein shown. The handle 10 hasan inverted box portion H which is covered by a lower cover securedthereto by a means not herein shown. A pair of fiat trunnion arms 12 and13 are provided, and each trunnion arm has an aperture 14 into which ispress ntted'a bearing bushing 16, made from a bearing composition andhaving an internal bearing surface ll. This surface 11, in each case, isrotatably positioned on the outer cylindrical surface 58 of one of thetrunnions 58. Each of the trunnion arms 12 and 13 has anoutwardly-extending rectangular leg 18 which passes through one of thetwo slots 35 and thereafter is'secured to thebox portion-H of the handle10. Each leg 18 is provided on opposite sides thereof with a pair ofshoulders 88 which engage the box H and cover 15 thereby properlypositioning the handle 10 with respect to the chassis Hi; The means forsecuring the handle 10 to the legs 'IBincludes a pair of posts 86 (Figs.2'and 6) that are formed integral with and extend outwardly from theinner surface of the box H. Each of the legs 18 of the arms l2, 13passes through an aperture 81 formed in the lower end'of the handle 10and is clamped to one of the posts 86 by'means of an L-shaped clip 88.One leg 91 of the L-shaped clip 88 has its longitudinal dimension bent,that is to say, the leg 9! is bent about an axis positioned transverselyto its longest dimension. This leg 91, when in position; is adjacent oneside of the post 86, with one end of the leg entering a recess H32formed in the box H. The other leg 92, of the clip 88,

passes over the end of the post 86 and is held thereto by a headed screw89. The leg 92 extends beyond the post 86 and thereby enters anappropriately sized notch 90 formed on one side of the leg 18. The leg92 after it passes beyond the member 18 is formed with a small bent overportionor, hook. 93 which engages the leg 18 thereby holding the leg 18adjacent the side of the post 86 which is remote from the side thereofwhich is adjacent the leg 9| of the clip 88.

Asthe handle 10 is raised and lowered, the composition bushings 16 andthe trunnion arms 12, i3 rotate as a unit with respect to the trunnions58. As best seen in Fig. 3, the composition bearing ring 16' is held inposition axially with respect to-the motor-fan unit by being spacedbetween an external abutting surface 8| of the fan casing 54 andinternal abutting surfaces 82 and 83, respectively, formed on the uppershell l2 and the lower shell H adjacent the trunnion engaging surfaces63 and 64. Thebushing 16 associated with the arm '12 is held in anaxial. position in a manner similar to that just described. Since eachof the trunnion arms 12, 13 is press fitted'over and therefore issecured to its respective bearing bushing '16, the trunnion arms willlikewise be heldiir proper spaced relation axially of the motor-fanunit19.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that this invention has provided avacuum cleaner that is compact and sturdily constructed, and in whichmeans have been provided whereby'the motorfan unit i9 and the handle 10can be detached quickly and easily from the trunnion arms 12"!3. In theevent that it becomes desirable to remove the motor-fan unit iSi-fromwithin the chassis i0, it is simply'necessary to invert the vacuumcleaner, including the chassis l9 and handle in. Then the two screws 89,the heads of which can be engaged by a screw driver passed through holes95 provided in the cover 15, are loosened. Loosening the screws 89permits the handle 10 to be detached from' the trunnion arms 12 and 13.Then the lower chassis shell 1! is removed by unscrewing the thumb'screwl4. This exposes the motor-fan unit l9,the two screws 66 as well as thebelt 61; the latter being easily removed from the hub 59. Unscrewing thetwo screws 65 completely frees the motor-fan unit [9 from the upperchassis shell 12. Since the trunnion arms 12, 13 are pivoted on thetrunnions 58, which are part of the motor-unit 19, it is obvious thatthe legs 18 of the trunnion arms will be pulled through the slots Hasthe motor-fan unit is removed from the chassis shell l2.

The term trunnion, as herein used, refers to the two oppositecylindrical projections or. similar structures 58 formed onioppositesides of the motor-fan unit [9. The term trunnion' is not intended toconvey the ideathat the motor-fan unit turns on the trunnions as anaxis. The trunnion arms 12 and 13 rotate with respect to the trunnions,but in the preferred form of construction there is no relative rotarymotion be-- tween the trunnions and the chassis shells l l and Havingthus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim herein is:

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising an upper chassis shell, a lower chassisshell, means for securing said lower shell to said upper shell, a pairof semicylindrical surfaces in spaced portions of said upper shell, anaxial abutting surface formed adjacent each of said semicylindricalsurfaces,

a pair of semicylindrical surfaces in spaced por-r tions of said lowerchassis shell, an axial abutting surface adjacent each of saidsemicylindrical surfaces in said lower shell, said two pairs ofsemicylindrical surfaces being so constructed and arranged as to formtwo cylindrical surfaces when said lower shell is clamped to said uppershell, a motor-fan unit supported in said chassis, a pair of spacedcylindrical trunnions formed on said motor-fan unit, said trunnionsbeing of such diameter as to fit into said cylindrical surfaces and saidtrunnions being so spaced as to be axially positioned by said axialabutting surfaces.

2. A vacuum cleaner comprising an upper chassis shell, a lower chassisshell, means for securing said lower shell to said upper shell, a pairof semicylindrical surfaces in spaced portions of said upper shell, afirst axial abutting surface adjacent each of said semicylindricalsurfaces, a second axial abutting surface adjacent each of saidsemicylindrical surfaces, a pair of semicylindrical surfaces in spacedportions of said lower chassis shell, an axial abutting surface adjacenteach of said semicylindrical surfaces in said lower chassis, a secondaxial abutting surface adjacent each of semicylindrical surfaces in saidlower chassis, a motor-fan unit housed in said chassis shells, atrunnion formed on opposite ends of said motor-fan unit, end abuttingsurfaces on each of said trunnions, outer cylindrical surfaces on eachof said trunnions, said outer cylindrical surfaces of said trunnionsbeing contacted by said semicylindrical surfaces, and said first axialabutting surfaces being contacted by the end surfaces of said trunnions,a cylindrical bearing bushing rotatably carried on each of saidtrunnions, a trunnion arm secured to each of said bushings, one sideface of each of said bushings being in contact with said second abuttingsurfaces, and a vacuum cleaner handle detachably secured to saidtrunnion arms.

3. A vacuum cleaner comprising an upper chassis shell; a lower chassisshell secured to said upper chassis shell; a horizontal motor-fan unitsupported by said upper and lower chassis shells; a pair of trunnionsformed on opposite ends of said motor-fan unit; a pair of trunnion arms,one being pivotally mounted on each of said trunnions; and a handlemember secured to said trunnion arms.

4. A vacuum cleaner comprising an upper chassis shell having a pair oflong narrow slots formed therein; a lower chassis shell secured to saidupper chassis shell; a horizontal motorfan unit supported by said upperand lower chassis shells; a pair of trunnions formed on opposite ends ofsaid motor-fan unit; a bearing bushing pivotally mounted on each of saidtrunnions; a trunnion arm secured to each of said bearing bushings, saidtrunnion arms extending through said narrow slots; and a handle memberdetachably secured to the ends of said trunnion arms.

5. A vacuum cleaner comprising an upper chassis shell having a pair oflong narrow slots formed therein; a lower chassis shell secured to saidupper chassis shell, a plurality of supporting and abutting surfacesformed on spacedportions of said upper and lower chassis shells; ahorizontal motor-fan unit having a pair of trunnions formed on oppositeends thereof, said motor-fan unit being positioned and spaced by saidplurality of surfaces; a pair of trunnion arms, a

one being pivotally mounted on each of said trunnions and extendingthrough one of said slots;

and a handle member secured to said trunnion arms.

6. A vacuum cleaner comprising an upper chassis shell having a cupolaformed as a part thereof, said upper shell being provided with a pair oflong narrow slots adjacent said cupola; a lower chassis shell secured tosaid upper shell; a pair of semicircular surfaces on said upper shell; apair of semicircular surfaces on said lower shell, formed complementaryto said semicircular surfaces on said upper shell; a motor-fan unithoused by said two shells; a pair of opposed trunnions formed on saidmotor-fan unit, said trunnions engaging said semicircular surface insuch a manner as to position said motor-fan unit with respect to saidshells; a bearing member rotatably carried on each of said trunnions; atrunnion arm secured to each of said bearing members; a leg formedintegral with each of said trunnion arms, each of said legs extendingthrough one of said long narrow slots; and a handle member secured tothe said pair of legs.

7. A vacuum cleaner comprising an upper chassis shell having a pair oflong narrow slots formed therethrough, a lower chassis shell secured tosaid upper shell, a pair of cylindrical members engaged by said chassisshells and positioned within said chassis shells, a motor-fan unitattached to and concentric with said cylindrical members, a pair of armspivotally carried on said cylindrical members and projecting throughsaid pair of slots, and a handle member detachably secured to said armsat a point outside said upper chassis shell.

8. An ambulatory type vacuum cleaner arranged for to-and-fro movement ona floor, comprising, a hollow chassis shell having a pair of long narrowslots formed adjacent opposite sides thereof, said slots extending in adirection that is parallel to the direction of the to-and-fro movement;a plurality of supporting wheels rotatably mounted on said chassisshell; a dualfan motor-unit'supported by said chassis shell, I

said motor unit having a horizontal shaft that extends transversely ofthe direction of the toand-fro movement, and said dual-fan motorunitbeing symmetrically located in the chassis transverse to the directionof the to-and-fro movement; a brush rotatably supported within saidchassis shell and extending at right angles to the direction of theto-and-fro movement; means for driving said rotary brush'from said motorshaft; a pair of trunnions located within said chassis shell and atopposite ends of said dual-fan motor-unit; a pair of trunnion arms, onebeing pivotally mounted on each of said trunnions and extending throughthe slots in said chassis shell; and a handle member attached to saidtrunnion arms.

EDGAR P. TURNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Troxler Mar. 28, 1944

